The “that girl” aesthetic is gaining traction once again (or maybe it’s never subsided?). There are photos on nearly every platform with the this hard-to-achieve aesthetic. This type of aesthetic shows “that girl” eating whole foods, exercising consistently, having a lengthy skincare regimen and a Sunday reset routine focused on meal prepping, and focusing on wellness by meditating and journalling. Let’s simplify that long list of what it takes to be “that girl”: romanticize your life by prioritizing you.
1. CREATe Your LIFE’s SOUNDTRACK
We all have memories that play in our head over and over again. Maybe if you haven’t healed from things in your past, you find yourself re-listening to the same 20 sad songs daily. That can be healthy to a certain extent, but what about focusing on all the things that make you feel empowered and happy? Having a soundtrack for your life could mean mean mostly sad songs and one happy song that makes you thing of your significant other. Or, it could mean a playlist full of Disney theme songs that bring you back to your childhood when things were much less stressful. Whatever feels right for you and keeps you feeling like the you that you are today–and not the you from yesterday–add it to your playlist. Just like that, you’ve started romanticizing your life, because you’ve taken into account who you are as the main character of your life. What I envision when I think of creating a soundtrack for my life is being in a movie, and as I go on my daily walk the music I’m listening to sets the tone for this scene of my life. If you’ve already had rough scene moments before, it’s time to change the vibes up by changing the songs in your playlist!
2. Take Yourself ON A DATE
As Gwen had mentioned in one of her most recent articles, it can be hella awkward to date yourself in a public place. But, taking yourself on a date can be as simple as looking yourself in the mirror and admiring how far you’ve come, reflecting on what you’ve accomplished this far in your career, school, relationships, and so on. Do what you need to do to get into that headspace and start incorporating this admiration into your daily life to change how you view yourself.
3. Get all dressed up, even if you have nowhere to go
If putting on your favourite face of makeup is enough to help you feel like yourself again, then keep getting ready in that way! Sometimes, even getting up in the morning and putting together an outfit that suits me and that I wouldn’t normally wear is the right amount of ‘getting ready’ I need often to get out of a slump! Get ready for yourself in a way that makes you feel happy, even if you have nowhere to go.
4. Invest your time and energy into gratitude journals
Have you ever tried using a gratitude journal daily? Try even just jotting down what you’re looking forward to seeing today or writing five bullet points of things that make you happy to be you and have your life. Writing down these things you’re grateful for can make a huge different. You could even factor in the law of attraction, which is thought of as a way to attract whatever you write about, as long as it’s written in the present tense and you believe the universe will provide that for you. For example, you could write “I am grateful for my cat because she’s always there for me when I need her to be” or “I have a cat that’s always there when I need her to be.” Either way, you’re acknowledging that you’re either grateful for the cat you already have, or you’re attracting a cat (or your own) to be the perfect feline companion you’ve been looking for! Maybe try starting by listing all the things you’re grateful for, then introduce the law of attraction.
5. Make a vision board
It may just be my Pinterest board, but I’ve noticed many people have something they’re striving for in life! When I was younger, I would’ve assumed this can only look like a list of milestones or a bucket list, but you can even make a vision board for any time of the year! The new year seems to be the preferred time to start on a new vision board, but I believe it’s never too late to start making goals for how you want to be, feel, and look. The same can be said if you’re wanting to learn, experience, or buy something new! So, get out Google Images or your Pinterest app and find pictures that best represent what it is that you want to be accomplishing in your future, whether that’s tomorrow, next week, next month, or even next year… because you’ve got a vision board to make!
Feeling romanticized yet? If Not, that’s okay!
Whether you decide to use all five ways to ‘romanticize’ your life, we just hope you find the two things that everyone is striving for: peace and love. You’re not alone if you’re feeling like life can be really hard. Moreover, you’re not alone in feeling like there’s nothing you can do about it. So, if you came across this article in hopes to better your life, you’re on the right track to seeing positive change. One last bit of advice: whether you actively incorporate many or just a few ways to romanticize your life, your life will get better with time (and sometimes time alone, and that’s okay too). Just remember: it’ll get better.